Timbers beat Sounders, 1-0 (updated)

Despite dominating play, the Seattle Sounders FC fell to the Portland Timbers, 1-0, in the Community Shield preseason friendly match on Thursday night before a crowd of 18,606 on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.

The lone goal of the match came in the 44th minute when Timbers midfielder Ryan Pore found O.J. Obatola in the middle of the box. Obatola knocked it past Kasey Keller, ending Seattle's preseason defensive scoring streak at 337 minutes.

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Sounders FC finished with a 15-6 advantage in shots (6-1 on goal) and 7-1 in corner kicks.

Seattle controlled possession in the opening half, earning four corner kicks and taking five shots. The hosts remained aggressive on offense in the second half but could not find the back of the net and were held scoreless for the second game in a row. Seattle had drawn 0-0 at Vancouver last Saturday.

Sounders FC forward Steve Zakuani put the pressure on the Timbers defense throughout the match, nearly finding the net on a Brad Evans cross in the 15th minute.

Evans raced past Timbers defense in the 78th minute and hit a cross to the middle of the box where it eluded the outstretch foot of Fredy Montero.

The Community Shield match benefitted the Sounders FC four charity partners, with over $75,000 to be split between the Boys and Girls Club of Washington State, Seattle SCORES, Soccer Saves and Washington Youth Soccer.

In the last meeting between the two clubs, the Sounders FC beat the Timbers 2-1 in the third round of the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in Portland. scored in the opening minute of the match and Stephen King added a second goal in the 27th minute.

The Seattle Sounders FC will wrap up preseason play on the road when it faces the Colorado Rapids on Friday, March 19, at 6 p.m. The Sounders FC will host MLS First Kick on March 25 at 6:30 p.m. against the Philadelphia Union on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.